Promotional art for the WNBA Playoffs on ESPN

WNBA Finals Preview and How to Watch With Sling

The WNBA Finals are set, with the top-seeded New York Liberty taking on the No. 2 Minnesota Lynx. Here's a preview and how to watch with Sling.

It’s the Lynx vs. Liberty in the WNBA Finals.

On Oct. 8, the Minnesota Lynx finished off the Connecticut Sun 88-77 in the decisive Game 5 of their series. With the win, the No. 2-seeded Lynx advance to the WNBA Finals, where they’ll face the top-seeded New York Liberty, a team in search of their first-ever championship.

The best-of-five WNBA Finals begins Thursday, Oct. 10 on ESPN. You can catch every game on Sling with a subscription to Sling Orange with ESPN and ESPN3, which carries the streaming simulcast of ABC games. Use the link below to subscribe to Sling Orange, and read on for a full schedule of games, along with a preview of what to expect.

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WNBA Playoff Schedule on Sling

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How Did We Get Here?

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With a 32-8 regular season record, the No. 1-seeded New York Liberty were “the best team all year.” That quote is courtesy of Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon, whose team was eliminated by the Liberty in four games, ending their quest for a three-peat. Because the Aces defeated the Liberty in the 2023 WNBA Finals, a lot of observers felt their semifinal rematch would be the biggest challenge for the Liberty, who swept the Atlanta Dream 2-0 in the first round.

However, as the second-seed, the Lynx are a formidable opponent, especially considering they beat the Liberty in the Commissioner's Cup Championship game. Although it may have taken five games to get past the Connecticut Sun, the Lynx also swept their first round opponent, the Phoenix Mercury. The Lynx played in six WNBA Finals between 2011 and 2017, winning four of them, but this marks their first Finals appearance since then.

Players to Watch

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With multiple former WNBA MVPs on their roster, the Liberty have embraced their status as a “superteam.” Breanna Stewart has won MVP twice, including last season, but her focus is entirely on bringing a championship to New York. Stewart and 2021 MVP Jonquel Jones have the poise and experience, but the biggest X-factor for New York might be Sabrina Ionescu. She’s averaging 20 points per game in the playoffs, but her 5.2 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 1.5 steals per game might be even more important. If Ionescu can maintain those averages, New York is going to be tough to beat.

But Lynx star Napheesa Collier (who finished second in MVP voting to A’ja Wilson) has been arguably the best player in the 2024 playoffs. She leads the WNBA in scoring this postseason, averaging 27.1 points per game, and is pulling down 9.6 rebounds per contest. She’s helped the Lynx turn it all around this year, skyrocketing from a 19-21 record in 2023 to 30-10 this year. Minnesota is also the best three-point shooting team in the WNBA and has the second-best defense, trailing only the team they just eliminated, the Sun. But perhaps their greatest confidence comes from the fact they’ve already beaten the Liberty in the Commissioner's Cup Championship, and went 3-1 against them in the regular season. The Liberty may have been the best team this season, but if the Lynx can become the best team in the Finals, they’ll have their fifth championship.

What are the Odds?